FAQs

Q: How is radiation therapy used to fight breast cancer?

Radiation damages the DNA in cancer cells and inhibits their ability to reproduce. Normal cells, however, can usually recover from radiation damage more easily. Radiation therapy for breast cancer is most commonly used after a lumpectomy or mastectomy. The site where the tumor was removed often receives post-surgery radiation. Following surgery, radiation therapy may help prevent your cancer from recurring by treating any malignant cancer cells that may have been left behind or shed during surgery.

Q: How long will I have to be in radiation treatment?

Your radiation oncologist will decide how many treatment sessions you should have. Typically, treatment for breast cancer is done over four to six weeks, but you could be in treatment for as long as seven weeks. Radiation therapy sessions typically take 20 to 30 minutes including set-up time at the beginning of treatment, but over time it may only take 5-10 minutes in and out of the treatment room.

If your radiation oncologist recommends APBI (accelerated partial breast irradiation), you could have up to ten sessions in five days.

Alternatively, if your radiation oncologist recommends radiosurgery as your treatment, you will have one to five treatment sessions, averaging 20 minutes or more per session. To learn more about how radiation therapy and radiosurgery differ, see our Radiation Treatments overview page.

Q: Can I drive myself to and from treatment?

Depending on what kind of radiation technique is used to treat your cancer, your doctor may recommend that you bring someone along to your treatment sessions. However, many patients are able to drive themselves to and from treatment.

Q: Will I be alone in the treatment room?

In most treatment facilities, if you are treated with external beam radiotherapy, your team will position you for treatment, and then leave the room to control and monitor your treatment from a separate treatment console. They will be able to see and hear you at all times using video and audio equipment in the room.

Q: What position will I be in for treatment?

Will I be able to see what's happening? Patients treated for breast cancer are typically positioned lying with their back on the treatment "couch," but treatment can also be delivered lying face down if your team uses a breast board. If you are positioned lying face down, then your team will help you find a comfortable position for your head and arms. If you're positioned on your back, a body cradle may be used and adjusted appropriately each day to help you remain still with one or both your arms overhead. You will be able to watch the machine rotate around you, but the radiation beam is invisible – so you will not be able to see it.

Q: How does 'respiratory gating' work?

Will I need it? Respiratory gating is most commonly used for patients with breast cancer on the left side. During respiratory gating, your radiation therapist studies the motion of your chest as you breathe. The therapist may direct you to hold your breath while a small cube on your chest broadcasts the position of your ribcage to the control room. Holding your breath while the lungs are full creates the largest possible space between your heart and breastplate, allowing the radiation to penetrate your treatment site while sparing heart and lung tissue.

Q: Is radiation treatment painful or uncomfortable?

Similar to an x-ray, radiation beams are not visible and you cannot feel them. Some patients, though, find it uncomfortable to remain still. Your treatment team will help to make you comfortable for each session, and you can always speak to them (via microphones in the treatment room) if you are uncomfortable.

Some patients do experience painful skin irritation as a result of the radiation post-treatment. If you do, your team can suggest ointments to take care of your skin.

Q: What are the side effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer?

Side effects are usually temporary and often subside after treatment ends, however, some could be serious. Possible side effects include skin irritation, fatigue, mild breast swelling, breast tenderness, and lymphedema. See Possible Side Effects for more information. You should also talk to your radiation oncologist about what side effects you might experience during and after treatment.

Q: What happens after treatment ends?

Most doctors and cancer centers will discuss nutrition, exercise programs, stress reduction, and support groups with you to help you during and after treatment. After your treatment ends, your doctor will recommend a schedule for periodic checkups to monitor the results. Typically, checkups are scheduled at six-month intervals. If symptoms or clinical circumstances suggest a recurrence of the cancer, diagnostic tests such as blood tests, ultrasound, CT scans, MRIs, chest x-ray (CXR), or a bone scan may be needed.

Q: How will I know treatment worked?

Imaging scans will be repeated, usually a few weeks after treatment, to assess the response of your tumor. The general rule of thumb is that a cancer is considered to be in remission if you have no signs of the disease for three years after treatment is completed.

Varian Medical Systems' linear accelerators are intended to provide stereotactic radiosurgery and precision radiotherapy for lesions, tumors, and conditions anywhere in the body where radiation treatment is indicated.

Safety

Radiation treatments may cause side effects that can vary depending on the part of the body being treated. The most frequent ones are typically temporary and may include, but are not limited to, irritation to the respiratory, digestive, urinary or reproductive systems, fatigue, nausea, skin irritation, and hair loss. In some patients, they can be severe. Treatment sessions may vary in complexity and time. Radiation treatment is not appropriate for all cancers. You should discuss the potential for side effects and their severity as well as the benefits of radiation with your doctor to make sure radiation treatment is right for you.